The subject matter disclosed herein relates to sealing structures in turbomachinery, and more particularly to floating axial brush seals.
Radial brush seals are an established technology in turbomachinery. Their implementation in power turbines can be limited by their tendency to influence rotordynamics in the power turbines through frictional heating of the rotor body. For example, non-uniform circumferential heating of the rotor can cause the rotor to bow introducing imbalance into the turbine affecting critical speeds. In addition, certain power turbines may not have enough space for radial brush seals.
What is needed is a brush seal that reduces rotor heating and can be implemented in a turbine with limited radial space.